Raamaa, sakala sakthi neeyuvE

From the Bhakti List Archives

• November 22, 1997


				Sri:
Dearest sisters and brothers,
	This is small incident (story?) in Thayagabrahmam's life. I enjoyed
reading it. As usual, I am here to share(bore) you.

Saint Thyagaraja swami, came out of his house to start his unjavritthi on a
morning. The entire street was bubbling with lot of confusion and
activities with people running here and there; some running from Cauveri
river towards the main road; others running from the main road from main
road to Cauveri. One man even pushed the swamy down while running blindly.
Swami decided not to venture into unjavritthi and came back to his house.

Visweswara ganapaadigaL entered swami's house and said " Swami, Have you
heard this dastardly act?". Mallaari's daughter, Gangaa has been washed
away in Cauveri floods" (Mallari is Swami's errand boy, Raamaraayan's
uncle). This is the sixth Girl being washed away within the last six
months" "Why does the nadhi take away the Girls only?"

Immediately someone else came into Swami's house and said" It is a group
from Royal family- because after a distance the girl, gangaa was pulled out
by a group who came on a horse cart(Royal); It should be the work of
Raajaa's brother-in-law, who has been mischievous and a sthreelOlan" .

Mallaari was terribly beaten up by the group who took away his daughter and
hence, mallari was brought by the people to Saint Thyagaraaja's house and
was made to lie down in the corridor. Raamaraayan and his mother yamunabhai
also came crying. Swami ordered someone to bring a doctor to dress the
wound on mallaari's body. Swami took visweswara iyer inside and asked" what
shall we do now?"  SwamigaL did not know what to do. He felt like crying
for what has been done to his dear ones; He could not see yamunabhai crying
heavily. He ordered someone to inform local subhEdaar(police) and sat down;


Iyer said" Swamin, You should not have declined the king's offer of wealth
earlier; You just sang "Nithi saala sukhamaa". Now how can you request the
king to intervene and resolve?"
Let me also go to subhEdaar."

Swami went inside with a heavy heart straight to his ishtadeivam Sri Sita
Ramaa and sat down in front of him. He has never asked Raama anything for
him. Today he felt like asking Him to help mallari. When he looked at
Raama, His face was shining brightly added with the brightness of deepam
and smell of thuLasi maalai. He forgot gangaa and mallari for a minute,
looking at the beauty of Sri Rama. 

Ma pa ga ma paa pa -the dhanyaasi was coming out in his mind. Pallavi came
out in his lips:
"shyaama sundharaangha.."
 "Raamaa, Where have You hidden Your poers and asthram which You got from
Sage viswaamithra?. You had promised to rishis in Athri ashramam that You
would kill all Rakshasaas. You took a vow to wipe the asuraas. Now can You
not come to kill these paavis? "Dhushta thanuja matha vidhaara" 

-saadhus have confidence in You and have faith in You that You will prtect
them by keeping You in their hearts. "sishta jana hrudhaya vihaara"

Swami kept repeating sishta jana hrudhaya vihaara-
Raama asked "Thyagaraja, Why are you singing that repeatedly? That day I
just said.. NowÂ…"

"No Raamaa, You should do something for that girl. I have no other go."

"Thyagaraja, You know very well that I do not hastily carryout things.
Thaadakai, soorapaNagai, kaakAsuran, RavaNan- I left them in the beginning
and later only acted. Even Ramadaas was in trouble, I did not immediately
act. If you do not like it and if you want fast action, Go to some one
else; I don't mind"

"Raama, Ramma, Please NEVER EVER say that . I can NOT live without You. You
act in any fashion You wish."

Swami sang"Ishtadeivamu neevEraa" You are my Ishta devathaa. NeevEraa – He
gave a kaarvai at nishaadham and Ramma just melted at that neevEraa.

Suddenly there was a heavy rush and sound at the entrance. PaNNaiyaar (The
local administration chief) has come to his house. Swami came out to see
him. PaNNaiyaar said" Swami, we can NOT wait further. Give me a command.
Order us. I have brought 200 people who can fight with that Group. It can
not continue for ever. We have to put a full stop. If you want I can bring
2000 people even. What do you say, swamiji. It has happened to you dear
ones, this time."

Swami looked back to his pooja room and his Raama. Raama looked as if He
has already entered into the fight. Swami just closed his eyes with a great
amount of Bhakti, graetfulness, happiness and tears continued to roll down
his cheeks. 

"swami, Please open your mouth and order. We will hit them NOW."

Swami thought for a while. This is the king's relative's work. If we go for
a fight, If Raajaa orders his army to destroy the entire village- so many
innocent pepole will die; Better not get into action. Let iyer come back.
He has gone to Police. He said" Pannaiyaar, Please wait for an hour. Let
iyer come. You all stay put here for a couple of hours" (Swamiji had such a
vaathsalyam for his people)

People from koLLidam, thillaisthaanam, veeramaangudi thronged and kept
gathering in front of his house. 

At the same time, the minister kAkaaji had come to the panchnadheeswar
temple and came to know the news about gangaa. He immediately ordered one
of his guys to take the palanquin to the kingdom and bring gangaa back in
his palanquin. He had given a letter to the king for requesting such an
action and also asked the king to keep his brother-in-law under control.
Then he proceeded to Swami's house. By the time he reached by walk to
swami's house, the palanquin brought gangaa back with a couple of maids.

He went inside and touched mallari's body and enquired about his wounds. He
ordered his men to take mallari to the Royal Doctor and absorb all medical
expenses. He went inside and held swami's hands tightly. He said" Swami,
Things have happened by the mischievous element in the kingdom. We are
extremely sorry for all that happened without our knowledge. The king
personally wanted to ask for your pardon. Being a Raama bhakthaa, you only
controlled Raamaa. I know Raamaa is the one who lost His patience on such
an incident that happened to His bhaktaa and His dear ones. He is the one
who brought so many people together headed by Pannaiyaar. If they had
started to fight, there could have been chaos and law and order problem.
How Great Bhagavathaa you are to control Raama and His People to avert the
major debacle for our king. You have saved us swami. " 

He addressed the crowd and apologised for all that happened. He assured
that it would not repeat. He asked Pannaiyaar to take all the 200 people to
Locak subhEdaar's place where they will be given food. He asked swamin "Can
I go to Thanjaavur peacefully?" Then, he left.

Swami went to pooja room " Raama, I blamed You for Your slow action; Now
kAkaaji is praising me for all that You have done. It is You who keeps His
patience. You ar sakala sakthi"

"thaamasa rahitha guNasaanthra/
tharanu velayu raamachandhra/
shyaamasundhraangha/
sakala sakhthi yu neevE./

Sri Sitha lakshmana bharatha sathrukhna hanumath samEtha Ramachandra
parabrahmaNE namah:

Ram Ram

Ragards

dAsan madhavakkannan